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            <h1 class="title">The Legislative Branch</h2>
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                The legislative branch of the United States government is headed by the bicameral Congress, divided into the <a href="/us/legi/senate">Senate</a> and the <a href="/us/legi/house">House of Representatives</a>. In addition, it contains a number of legislative-branch agencies  which serve the needs of the nation&apos;s lawmakers.

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                <h2 class="title"><a href="/us/legi/senate">Senate</a></h2>
                <div class="agency_description">
                    The upper house of the United States Congress, the Senate consists of two Senators from each state, regardless of population. In addition to working with the House to draft new legislation, the Senate's consent is required for the appointment of many federal officials, and the ratification of treaties.

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                <h2 class="title"><a href="/us/legi/house">House of Representatives</a></h2>
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                    The lower house of the United States Congress, the House has 435 Representatives apportioned among the states by population.

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                <h2 class="title"><a href="/us/legi/crs">Congressional Research Service</a></h2>
                <div class="agency_description">
                    The Congressional Research Service (CRS) works exclusively for the United States Congress, providing policy and legal analysis to committees and Members of both the House and the Senate, regardless of party affiliation. As a legislative branch agency within the  <a href="/us/legi/loc">Library of Congress</a>, CRS has been a valued and respected resource on Capitol Hill for nearly a century. CRS is well known for analysis that is authoritative, confidential, objective and nonpartisan. Its highest priority is to ensure that Congress has 24/7 access to the nation&apos;s best thinking.<span class="footnote">Agency description from <a href="http://www.loc.gov/crsinfo/">CRS Employment website</a>.</span> 

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                <h2 class="title"><a href="/us/legi/loc">The Library of Congress</a></h2>
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                    The Library of Congress is the nation&apos;s oldest federal cultural institution and serves as the research arm of Congress. It is also the largest library in the world, with millions of books, recordings, photographs, maps and manuscripts in its collections. The Library&apos;s mission is to make its resources available and useful to the Congress and the American people and to sustain and preserve a universal collection of knowledge and creativity for future generations. The Office of the Librarian is tasked to set  policy and to direct and support programs and activities to accomplish the Library&apos;s mission.<span class="footnote">Agency description from <a href="http://www.loc.gov/about/"> LOC website</a>.</span>

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                <h2 class="title"><a href="/us/legi/gao">Government Accountability Office</a></h2>
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                    The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) is an independent, nonpartisan agency that  works for Congress. Often called the "congressional watchdog," GAO investigates how the  federal government spends taxpayer dollars. Our Mission is to support the Congress in  meeting its constitutional responsibilities and to help improve the performance and ensure  the accountability of the federal government for the benefit of the American people. We  provide Congress with timely information that is objective, fact-based, nonpartisan,  nonideological, fair, and balanced.<span class="footnote">Agency description from <a href="http://www.gao.gov/about/">GAO website</a>.</span>

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                <h2 class="title"><a href="/us/legi/cbo">Congressional Budget Office</a></h2>
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                    CBO&apos;s mandate is to provide the Congress with objective, nonpartisan, and timely  analyses to aid in economic and budgetary decisions on the wide array of programs  covered by the federal budget and the information and estimates required for the  Congressional budget process. In fiscal year 2008, CBO issued 39 studies and reports,  3 briefs, 12 Monthly Budget Reviews, 29 letters, 22 presentations, and 2 background  papers &mdash; along with 7 other publications and numerous supplemental data. CBO  also testified before the Congress 30 times on a variety of issues. In calendar year  2008, CBO completed approximately 750 formal federal cost estimates as well as  approximately 700 estimates of the impact of unfunded mandates on state and local  governments and about 700 estimates of the impact of unfunded mandates on the private  sector.<span class="footnote">Agency description from <a href="http://www.cbo.gov/aboutcbo/factsheet.shtml"> CBO Fact Sheet</a>.</span>

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